2017-18 Budget
The 2017-18 Queensland Health budget will promote a connected healthcare system to improve access to quality and safe healthcare for all Queenslanders.
Queensland Health's operating budget will be $16.55 billion for 2017-18, which is an increase of $1.28 billion (8.4 per cent) from the published 2016-17 operating budget.
$13.98 billion, or 84 per cent of the 2017-18 budget, will be allocated to Hospital and Health Services and other organisations to deliver frontline services across the state.
In addition to $916.1 million (over four years) to improve health infrastructure, the 2017-18 budget also boosts frontline staff, including funding for an additional 119 nurse navigators in 2017-18 and close to 3,300 nurse graduates having been employed since 2015.
The 2017-18 budget includes a range of new or recently announced initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes for disadvantaged and/or vulnerable people in our community.
Further details on these and other health initiatives and highlights published in the 2017-18 State Budget, are shown below.
Move your mouse over or tap on the orange or blue bar to see the breakdown of the budget.
Highlights
Click boxes below to see highlights of allocated budgets.
Queensland Health
Building for the future
- $916.1 million this year to improve health infrastructure in Queensland
- $138.2 million to improve mental health services for adolescents and build a Mental Health Unit at Cairns Hospital
- $131.8 million to boost infrastructure at Logan, Caboolture, and Ipswich Hospitals
- $128.4 million to redevelop or replace health facilities at Kingaroy, Blackall, Mer (Murray) Island, Maryborough, Sarina and Townsville Hospitals
Boosting the frontline
- 75 additional ambulance officers in 2017-18
- Close to 3,300 nurse graduates employed since 2015, with additional 16 nurse educators across the state to coach, mentor and support this influx of new graduates
- $37.1 million for 119 nurse navigators in 2017-18, on top of the 121 nurse navigators that commenced across the state in 2016-17
Meeting Queensland's growing needs
- $37 million for an additional 12,000 gastrointestinal endoscopies
- $15 million to support the winter bed management strategy
- $5.3 million for the Meningococcal ACWY vaccine for 15 to 19 year olds
Preparing for change
- $126.5 million to continue initiatives across the state aimed at reducing specialist outpatient long waits
- $10 million over four years for the Queensland Health and Medical Research Funding Program
- $375,000 for the Logan Community Health action plan, targeting key health challenges
Hospital and Health Services
Locate your Hospital and Health Service
- Total budget: $906.8 million
- Increase from 16-17: $128.9 million
- Total budget: $566.3 million
- Increase from 16-17: $34.8 million
- Total budget: $73.6 million
- Increase from 16-17: $5 million
- Total budget: $720.2 million
- Increase from 16-17: $43 million
Cairns & Hinterland
- Total budget: $906.8 million
- Increase from 16-17: $128.9 million
- Investing:
- $70 million over four years for a new mental health facility in Cairns.
- $14.1 million growth funding to meet projected increases in activity.
- $3.2 million for continuing recruitment of nurse navigators to improve patient care.
- $549,000 to participate in the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis trial and sexually transmissible infections programs.
Central Queensland
- Total budget: $566.3 million
- Increase from 16-17: $34.8 million
- Investing:
- $42 million for a new emergency department at Gladstone Hospital.
- $25.5 million to construct a new multi-level car park at Rockhampton Hospital with at least 597 new car parking spaces.
- $5 million to deliver a refurbished residential and aged care wing for residents at the North Rockhampton Nursing Centre.
- $4 million for a new Step Up Step Down mental health facility in Gladstone.
Central West
- Total budget: $73.6 million
- Increase from 16-17: $5 million
- Investing:
- $17.9 million to commence the new 10-bed community hospital and integrated medical centre at Blackall.
- $3.1 million to construct a new primary health care facility at Aramac.
- $1.1 million invested in a slow stream rehabilitation service in Longreach, allowing patients to complete their recovery and rehabilitation locally.
- $750,000 recurrent investment for a change in the model of care at the Boulia Primary Health Care Centre.
Children's Health Queensland
- Total budget: $720.2 million
- Increase from 16-17: $43 million
- Investing:
- $1.9 million for the trial of medicinal cannabis for refractory epilepsy.
- $1.8 million for continuing recruitment of nurse navigators to improve patient care.
- $1.7 million to continue support for the Assertive Mobile Youth Outreach Service as part of the Mental Health Plan.
- $1.3 million for the state-wide Specialist Immunisation Program.
- Total budget: $761.7 million
- Increase from 16-17: $87.2 million
- Total budget: $1.391 billion
- Increase from 16-17: $107.3 million
- Total budget: $415.1 million
- Increase from 16-17: $57.1 million
- Total budget: $2.666 billion
- Increase from 16-17: $280 million
Darling Downs
- Total budget: $761.7 million
- Increase from 16-17: $87.2 million
- Investing:
- $15.3 million growth funding to meet projected increases in activity.
- $8 million for planning the redevelopment of Kingaroy Hospital.
- $3 million to progress the new Toowoomba Hospital.
- $700,000 to deliver additional gastrointestinal endoscopies to meet the growth in demand from the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.
Gold Coast
- Total budget: $1.391 billion
- Increase from 16-17: $107.3 million
- Investing:
- $35.9 million growth funding to meet projected increases in activity.
- $4.6 million for a new 4-bed Lavender Mother and Infant Inpatient Unit.
- $3 million to support the fourth and final year of the Integrated Care Pilot Program.
- $2 million to commission an older persons bed unit.
Mackay
- Total budget: $415.1 million
- Increase from 16-17: $57.1 million
- Investing:
- A further $7.5 million for 12 inpatient beds at Mackay Base Hospital.
- $1.7 million to increase the Cardiac Catheter Laboratory services at Mackay Base Hospital to five days per week.
- $1.7 million additional investment in community mental health.
- $1.5 million for continuing recruitment of nurse navigators to improve patient care.
Metro North
- Total budget: $2.666 billion
- Increase from 16-17: $280 million
- Investing:
- $19.6 million over two years to expand the emergency department at Caboolture Hospital.
- $10.9 million to deliver additional gastrointestinal endoscopies to meet the growth in demand from the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.
- $4.7 million for the redevelopment of the Herston Quarter.
- $3.3 million for a new Step Up Step Down mental health facility at Nundah.
- Total budget: $2.315 billion
- Increase from 16-17: $121 million
- Total budget: $172.5 million
- Increase from 16-17: $16.2 million
- Total budget: $141.6 million
- Increase from 16-17: $5.8 million
- Total budget: $1.155 billion
- Increase from 16-17: $158 million
Metro South
- Total budget: $2.315 billion
- Increase from 16-17: $121 million
- Investing:
- $23.4 million growth funding to meet projected increases in activity.
- $1.4 million towards the new Wynnum-Manly Community Health Centre.
- $2.2 million for continuing recruitment of nurse navigators to improve patient care.
- $1 million for additional nursing graduates.
North West
- Total budget: $172.5 million
- Increase from 16-17: $16.2 million
- Investing:
- $1.6 million for continuing recruitment of nurse navigators to improve patient care.
- $1.4 million to support recruitment of additional mental health staff.
- $215,000 Telehealth funding to improve the outpatient journey.
- $750,000 to assist with providing additional allied health support to patients in rural and remote communities, together with additional outpatient support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
South West
- Total budget: $141.6 million
- Increase from 16-17: $5.8 million
- Investing:
- In the continued construction of the new $70 million Roma Hospital development.
- $1.8 million for continuing recruitment of nurse navigators to improve patient care.
- $1 million as part of the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Investment Strategy.
- $550,000 to extend the Free Skin Checks program as part of a preventative health initiative.
Sunshine Coast
- Total budget: $1.155 billion
- Increase from 16-17: $158 million
- Investing:
- $89.3 million to meet future demand at the new Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
- $3.2 million for continuing recruitment of nurse navigators to improve patient care.
- $1.8 million for additional nursing graduates.
- $500,000 for the redesign of Nambour Hospital.
- Total budget: $202.9 million
- Increase from 16-17: $1.7 million
- Total budget: $935.9 million
- Increase from 16-17: $71.6 million
- Total budget: $554.6 million
- Increase from 16-17: $42.3 million
- Total budget: $581.9 million
- Increase from 16-17: $57.4 million
Torres and Cape
- Total budget: $202.9 million
- Increase from 16-17: $1.7 million
- Investing:
- $1.9 million for continuing recruitment of nurse navigators to improve patient care.
- $1.8 million to deliver Closing the Gap initiatives.
- $1.6 million to continue implementing the North Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sexually Transmissible Infections Action Plan 2016-2021.
- $500,000 for changes to rural and remote models of care.
Townsville
- Total budget: $935.9 million
- Increase from 16-17: $71.6million
- Investing:
- $18.8 million growth funding to meet projected increases in activity.
- $8.5 million to complete the construction of the Palm Island Primary Care Centre.
- $6.7 million to support the opening of the remaining nine beds within the Alec Illin Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit:
- $540,000 to support Telehealth initiatives as part of the Specialist Outpatient Strategy.
West Moreton
- Total budget: $554.6 million
- Increase from 16-17: $42.3 million
- Investing:
- $13.9 million growth funding to meet projected increases in activity.
- $5 million to continue the Clinical Decision Unit at the Ipswich Hospital Emergency Department.
- $4.7 million to establish a mental health acute care team, enabling more efficient and effective care of mental health patients.
- $340,000 to deliver additional gastrointestinal endoscopies to meet the growth in demand from the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.
Wide Bay
- Total budget: $581.9 million
- Increase from 16-17: $57.4 million
- Investing:
- $30.2 million to complete construction and commissioning of the new $44.2 million Hervey Bay Hospital Emergency Department.
- $10 million to expand Maryborough Hospital emergency department and refurbish the specialist outpatients department.
- $4 million for a new Step Up Step Down mental health facility in Bundaberg.
- $1.7 million for continuing recruitment of nurse navigators to improve patient care.
Find out how the health care system is being improved for you
We know that health is important at every stage of life which means investing in hospitals, health experts and the future of health is a top priority.
There is something in this budget for everyone, with sixteen and a half billion dollars for health – an increase of nearly one point three billion dollars, to strengthen the services we all need and use.
Our youngest and most vulnerable Queenslanders deserve the best start.
That’s why we’re allocating six million dollars for paediatric and neonatal retrieval services at key locations across the state.
We’re also investing nearly five million dollars for a mental health maternal and baby unit on the Gold Coast, for women experiencing perinatal depression.
As they grow, we want to provide for them and protect them, both mentally and physically, throughout childhood and into their teenage years.
$20 million will establish a Healthy Futures Commission to encourage regular physical activity and healthy eating for children and their families.
We are also committing more than sixty-eight million dollars to rebuild and expand mental health services for young people, and nearly five and half million dollars to fund free meningococcal vaccines for 15 to 19 year olds.
In adulthood, they’ll have to make many decisions; some easy, some challenging. So supporting every Queenslander through the obstacles they’ll face is vital.
More than thirty-seven million dollars will go to recruiting and training more nurse navigators, helping people navigate the complexities of our modern health system.
We’ll also focus on preventive health with more than eight million dollars for a range of sexual and reproductive health initiatives.
As they age, they’ll need access to a healthcare system that provides support and options right up until the end of life.
Two million dollars will create a new mental health unit for Gold Coast seniors.
And an End of Life Program will be developed with nearly one and a half million dollars of funding.
Eighty-four percent, or almost fourteen billion dollars of the budget, will go directly to hospitals and health services. And a capital investment of more than $900 million will mean improved health infrastructure to meet the growing demand for health services.
This is to ensure the whole family’s health is taken care of, from birth onwards regardless of where they live in Queensland.
Investing in healthcare now will ensure Queenslanders are among the healthiest people in the world, long into the future.
Full budget documents
View the full suite of budget documents on the Queensland Budget website.
